Injury Update: Yankees Activate Carlos Beltran Off 7-day DL

The New York Yankees have announced today that they have activated outfielder/DH Carlos Beltran off of the 7-day disabled list, prior to tonight’s second half opening series game with the visiting Cincinnati Reds. In a corresponding move, the team optioned pitcher Bryan Mitchell back to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre,

Beltran was placed on the 7-day disabled list following a freak accident during batting practice prior to a game in Cleveland with the Indians, where a batted ball caromed off of the batting cage, and struck him in the nose, breaking two bones in his nose.

"“The ball hit the screen, bounced back and hit me in the face, in my nose,” said Beltran, who had X-rays and a CT scan. “It’s just a fracture in two different areas. At the end of the day, I feel good, my head feels good. I had a headache for the whole day and now it’s getting better. So hopefully tomorrow it will get better and I could be back soon.”"

The Yankees need Beltran, whom they signed to a three-year, $45 million dollar contract this past winter, to begin being the middle-of-the-lineup hitter they thought they were getting. He is hitting only .216, with 9 home runs and 28 runs driven in this season. The Bombers currently sit in third place, 47-47, in the AL East, in part because of injuries, but primarily because of a lack of consistent production from a lineup that features Beltran, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Brian McCann.